Building block



Feb. 19, 1935. sLAYTER 1,991,469

BUILDING BLOCK Filed June 14, 19-33 Patented Feb..19, 1935 UNITED STATES BUILDING BLOCK Games Slayter, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application June 14, 1933, Serial No. 675,761

6 Claims. (01. 72-41) My invention relates to hollow building blocks, and more particularly to blocks made of glass or other transparent material. An object of the invention is to provide a block of the character indicated, provided with a partition which serves to materially strengthen the block and which, moreover, may serve for ornamental purposes, enhancing the appearance of the block as a whole, and of a wall composed of such blocks. A further object of the invention is to provide a hollow building block with a partition so arranged that it will materially improve the heat insulating composed of such blocks.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. v w

Referring to the accompanying drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a block constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of the lid or cover plate being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the block with the lid omitted.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the block, the section being taken at the line IIIIII on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the connection between the end wall and the partition.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing a modified form of partition.

The block as a whole is rectangular in shape. The body of the block comprises side walls- 5, end walls 6 and a bottom 7 preferably made in a single piece. The side walls 5 form the front and rear walls respectively of the block when the latter is built into and forms part of a wall constructed of such blocks. As shown, the block is made of glass, pressed in a mold. A plate 8 which dnay also consist of glass is formed separately from the body of the block-and provides a partition which extends lengthwise of the bloclg, parallel with and preferably midway between the side wallsfi. The

partition is held in place by means of lugs, 9 formed on the interior surfaces of the end walls 6. Said lugs, as shown, are in the form of vertical parallelribs spaced to provide grooves or guideways 10 for the plate 8. A lid or cover plate 12 which may also be made of glass, provides a cover for the block. The block is provided with a groove or recess l3 to receive the margins of the.

cover plate 12 which seats in said recess so that it is substantially flush with the upper surface of the walls 5 and 6. The top 12 is sealed in position as by .means of cement 14 (Fig. 3). The top surface of the wall 8 contacts throughout its 55 length with the under surface of the lid 12. It

will thus be seen that the completed block comprises two closed chambers separated by the partition wall 8. When the block is built into a wall, the exterior surfaces of the side walls 5 of the block may form parts of inner and outer surfaces of the wall as a whole. The partition 8 is thus parallel with the wall and extends in a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the direction of heat flow, namely, the direction in which heat is transmitted through the wall-. This materially adds to the heat insulating properties of the block. properties of the block and, therefore, of walls The partition 8 may be made of plain glass, either clear or colored. The surfaces of said plate may be either fiat or figured or otherwise ornamerited, depending on the ornamental effects it is desired to produce in the finished wall. When the partition is made of colored glass, the color effect is imparted to the entire block. The par-' tition may be formed with a figured surface (Fig. 5) comprising ribs 17 or'other light reflecting and diffusing means or configurations such that it renders the block as a whole translucent. This feature is of value in a ,wall where it is desired -to obtain the advantages of having light transshape, comprising integral bottom, side and end walls, a separate cover plate cemented therein, the body of the block being recessed to receive the cover plate, the upper face of said plate being flush with the body of the block, and a partition wall parallel with the side walls and dividing the interior of the block into two closed compartments.

3. A hollow building block comprising bottom, side walls and end walls made of transparent glass and having fiat smooth surfaces and a partition wall intermediate said side walls, said partition wall made of colored glass and having a figured surface by which light is reflected and diffused in such manner that the block as a whole is thereby rendered translucent.

4. A hollow glass building block comprising integral bottom, side walls and end walls, said Walls being transparent and having plain fiat i'aees, a plate made of colored glass and forming a par- 5 tition within said block parallel with the side walls and dividing the block into separate compartments, and a cover plate or top cemented to said block.

5. A hollow glass building block having a light diflusing glass partition extending lengthwise between the front and rear walls of the block, rendering the block as a whole translucent.

6. A hollow glass building block having a glass partition arranged longitudinally between the front and rear walls of the block, and figured on its surface to difiuse the light and render the block as a whole translucent,

GAMES SLAYTER. 

